Rail-joint.



No. 809,238. PATENTED JAN. 2, 190a.

R. L. ALEXANDER.

RAIL JOINT.

APPLICATION FILED APR.10. 1905.

UNITED STATES PATENT oEEIoE.

ROBERT LEE ALEXANDER, OF MORAL, OKLAHOMA TERRITORY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ALBERT COLEMAN, OF MoOOMB, OKLAHOMA TERRI- TORY.

RAIL-JOINT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 2, 1906.

in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in rail-joints for railway-rails.

The object of the invention is to provide a joint for railway-rails to securely hold the same together Without the use of fish-plates or other supplemental fastening devices.

A further object is to rovide a rail-joint of this character which'wi 1 be simple, strong, durable, and inexpensive in construction and which will prevent the sagging and the spreading of the rails.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the meeting ends of two railsections, showing the manner of connecting the same together. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one of the rail-sections, showing the construction of the opposite ends of the same. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view through the joint. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal vertical sectional -view thereof, and Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical sectional view of the same.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 denotes one of the rail-sections, consisting of a head or tread portion 2, a web portion 3, and a base-flange portion 4. On one end of the rail-section the flanged portion 4 is cut away to form a longitudinally-projecting head and web portion 5, said projecting web portion being provided with a series of elongated transversely-disposed apertures or slots 6, of which there may be any suitable number, six of the same being shown in the drawings. The ends of the flanged portion 4 adjacent to the (proj ecting web and ead portion 5 is provide with a recess 7.

The head 2 on the opposite end of the rear section is cut away to form a longitudinallyprojecting Web and base flange portion 8.

The web of said projecting portion 8 is formed of considerably greater width than the web of the rest of the rail, and in said widened projecting web is formed a longitudinallydisposed channel or mortise 9. Said mortise extends down into the base-flange portion of the projection, as shown. In the sides of the mortised Web are formed opposite transversely-disposed apertures 10, and on the ends of the projecting flange is formed a longitudinal extension 12.

In assembling the sections of the rail together the projecting web and head portion at one end of the rail is engaged with the mortised web and flange-section of the opposite end of the next adjacent section, the web of one section entering the mortise in the web of the other, while the extension-12 of said mortised flange will engage the recess 7 of the meeting sections, as shown. When the sections are so assembled, the apertures in the Walls of the mortised web will aline with the slots of the tenon-web, and through said alining apertures are adapted to be inserted locking-pins 13, said pins being preferably rectangular in cross-section and provided on one end with a head 14, the opposite ends of the same being bifurcated, as shown at 15. Said bifurcated ends are adapted to project beyond the outer sides of the mortise portion of the web, against which they are adapted to be upset, thereby firmly holding the pins in place and the sections of the rail together. Inplacing the pins through the apertures in the meeting ends of the rail they are arranged in alternate positions that is to say, the head of one pin will be disposed on one side of the rail while the head of the next will be disposed on the opposite side, thus bringing the heads and the bifurcated ends of the pins in alternate positions on said rail. By providing slots or elongated apertures 6 in the tenon portion of the web the ex ansion and contraction of the rails is providbd for. At the same time the sections of the same are firmly held against separation or vertical movement. By extending the mortise 9 through the web portion and into the base-flange portion of the projecting end 8 the strength of said mortise portion is greatly increased and spreading of the walls thereof is prevented. The overlapping feature formed by the extension 12 entering the recess 7 of the opposite meeting ends of the ICO rail also greatly increases the strength of the joint.

In laying the rail upon the ties three of the latter are provided at each joint, one of said ties being disposed beneath each of the ends or terminals of the rail-seetions and one midway between said ends, thus forming a firm support for the joints which when properly spiked to the ties will prevent sagging or lateral spreading of the rails.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the invention will be readily understood without requiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

A railway-rail having formed on one end a longitudinally-projecting head and slotted web, and on its opposite end a longitudinallyprojecting web and flange, said web and flange having formed therein a longitudinallyextending mortise to receive the longitudi nally-projecting web of the next adjacent rail-section, the sides of said mortise web having formed therein oppositely disposed rectangular apertures to aline with the rectangular slots in the web of the adjoining section, pins having square shanks adapted to be projected through the alined apertures and slots in said web, said pins having bifurcated outer ends adapted to be bent into engagement with the adjacent sides of said webs, thereby securing said pins in place, 40 substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ROBERT LEE ALEXANDER. lVitnesses:

J. P. LUNSFORD, O. A. MILLER. 

